Ottawa, Feb 17 (BNA): Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused protesters in downtown Ottawa of engaging in actions that represent a “threat to our democracy” as protesters continued a three-week siege of downtown Ottawa.
Canadian officials have increasingly refined their tone, warning of extremist elements among the protesters who say they want to overthrow the government, Reuters reported.
Trudeau invoked the underused emergency law on Monday, giving the government a wide range of additional temporary powers. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police sent reinforcements, and Public Radio Canada said the province of Quebec was preparing to provide the police.
In a letter to the chief ministers of the 10 provinces, at least four of whom said there was no need to invoke the act, Trudeau said: “We see activity that is a threat to our democracy and undermines public confidence in our country’s institutions.”
Police in Ottawa, Wednesday, distributed leaflets warning truck drivers and others crippling downtown that they must leave or face arrest, but there was no indication of an imminent move to move nearly 400 vehicles.
“We will retake the entire core of downtown and every occupied space,” Ottawa interim police chief Steve Bell said in a statement late Wednesday.
Bad weather can complicate any police action. Constant rain fell on Ottawa early Thursday and Environment Canada said this will later turn to snow, with up to 12 inches (30 cm) expected by Friday morning.
While protesters initially protested the cross-border COVID-19 vaccine mandates for truck drivers and pandemic restrictions, they have also made clear their opposition to Trudeau and some say they want him fired.
“I’m ready, I’m not afraid, we’ll stay on the line,” Tamara Leech, a prominent Ottawa fundraiser and protest organizer, said in a video posted on CTV late Wednesday.
Trudeau is due to address the House of Commons on his decision to invoke the law at 10 a.m. ET (1500 GMT).
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said on Wednesday that a portion of the protesters “have strong links to a far-right organization with leaders in Ottawa,” referring to the arrests of 13 people in Alberta earlier this week in connection with a border shutdown. over there.
Four of them were charged with conspiracy to commit murder.